The result of their flipchart-intensive power brunches is an inspiring, fresh brand frontage which encapsulates all that is good about the world's premier celebration of musical culture.

According to the Eurovision website, the logo emerged kicking and screaming into the light at a recent televised extravaganza in Istambul:

Dressed in t-shirts with the national flags of the countries who form the ESC membership, the childrens' and youth's choir of TRT [Turkish TV channel] promoted the ideas of tolerance and international understanding with none less than the John Lennon-classic "Imagine". During the choir's performance, the new ESC logo was introduced to the world.

Just the thought of it is enough to chill a man's blood. And as for "international understanding", are we to believe that Eurovision 2004 will not be blighted by the sort of political strategic voting which has Cyprus regularly awarding douze points to Greece and nul points to Turkey?

Indeed, the scandalous crash-and-burn of the UK's 2003 entry - 'Cry Baby' by Jemini - which saw the highly-talented Liverpudlian duo score absolutely no points whatsover, can be attributed only to European revulsion to Britain's involvement in Iraq. And not, of course, to the fact that our entry was a hideous travesty of a pop song sung a quarter tone off-key by two grinning idiots.

Well, if the ESC site is anything to go by, these nationalistic shennanigans are a thing of the past. After all, we're all Europeans now:

The new logo has a heart for the ESC. In it, Europe blends with the emotions the event stirs up afresh every year. The universally understood symbol of the heart, standing for deep emotions, is filled with the member countries' flags. These latter ones hold great meaning for the ESC anyway: Because how could you back your star and your country any better than with flags and banners forming a sea of support at the grand finale.

True enough: No one can admit to watching Eurovision without succumbing to strong emotions. Rage and despair immediately spring to mind.

Still, let's put our differences aside and allow the Strategy Euroboutique have the final word on their symbol of unity and hope:

The vitality of the event, its unbroken vibrancy, is symbolised by the logo's typography (for insiders: "brushstroke"). Its possible field of application as well as its scope for design is unlimited. What they have in common is that from now on, the logo is going to give the ESC a clear identitiy to be transported from year to year.

Cue lights. Cue music. Cue whalesong. ®

Bootnote

Those wishing to let the vital energy flow can buy one of our lovely Strategy Boutique t-shirts here.

A big merci to Huseyin in France for monitoring the exciting run-up to Eurovision 2004.